Conservative councillors unite as group to exclude independents from a meeting in which they have a material interest as ward councillors

(November 17, 2014)

CONSERVATIVES on Warminster town council showed just how politically motivated they are by voting as a solid group to exclude the three independent east ward councillors from an important meeting being held specifically about the east ward boundary!

The important meeting, in Trowbidge, is to look into how the boundary of Bishopstrow and Warminster East Ward should be aligned in future.

While east ward Conservative member Andrew Davis is allowed to attend by virtue of his being a county member, the three democratically elected independent east ward councillors are now excluded from the meeting.

Instead Crockerton resident Jamie Cullen who represents Broadway and the elected unopposed councillor Rob Fryer, who represents west ward, will sit on the panel, despite not having a mandate from the public.

Steve Dancey, said: "This was a shocking abuse of power even for the Conservatives - not even a hint of reasonableness was shown when I suggested that one member of the independents who actually represent this area should be included.

"Instead the whole Tory group, plus Cullen, who appears more Tory than the Tories and always votes with them, decided to exclude the ward councillors and the only councillors who were elected in a meaningful election in 2013.

"It was the late Lord Denning who gave the legal definition of the 'right-thinking person' as 'the man who rides the Clapham omnibus' - quite clearly our blue town councillors have never been passengers on that bus."